Paper cup machine



Nov. 29, 1949 A. SHAPIRO El AL 2,489,50

PAPER CUP MACHINE Filed Nov. 21, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 65- i I, H :II 64 72 lNVENTO/PS.

l j Arr/4w? SHAP/ROWAWLM Hmac/my 7/ III" v I V v II 17 -6 l AM, Cub fil A rrrs.

Nov. 29, 1949 A. SHAPIRO ET AL PAPER CUP MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 21, 1947 gin er F111 Nov. 29, 1949 A. SHAPIRO ET AL 2,489,507

PAPER CUP MACHINE Filed Nov. 21, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I I l l l I I l B W7Om ATT'VS.

Patented Nov. 29, 1949 UNITED STATES FOFF-IC'E PAPER :CUP Arthur .Shan p, Jamaica, nd M l lml ii's b' Woodsi deQN. Y'.', a ssignoxsto Eagle Con flotation, Bropkiyn N. Y., -a corpdr' tion of :New

York.

pucauon-November 21. 1.:il1;..seni.a1;Nd.. 18. 73518? Apape upxzr, Q simil cnfta n r oi he. Pl ed vari t .i rma.1. .made mm ou d;

fl' aperb nk which is .f d fir t o worm n oibleat ne di whiehigiveaitt h up shape v tim .fq m. and t en-int a r mmine-or fin shr we .die in .w ieh. a i hav iea ene ally rou d, section is. crimped anound the .cups .iipper edge, iho the plea e 02m .iriiplaee ve it a ded s renetha d.afinishedam ance. .I is x iz ble IQRILQQIAQB a num er. .o 3191 lean r, c na. ers in. one mach ne sim neeusly by. rof

further desirable that all of thediesin sucha be, c pabl of per ormin tem ,in the rm than. .of...c.c a ner. imu taneo l p tha eh'time-a a rpfflni h ne die .,c1p.se,s .and we t. fin sh d nta ne is. in ueed. blea h ai o li ishi adie hemach neand th the p imt en he. c t11. 101 v ndre id- He; .QIQIIB attempts, t0,.1t r 1ake such multiple.

ea h; ee'haYerwiL ed n climh nspme m ate n very. xpen ive mac ne h i 9. 1 nyjmovi pa ts tha thei maintenance and iiiiiis mei ti ex r mely i i u The l'fl a e e bee atis aet ril .Q em e. an u ti ha lar e y had to aiiha imn theuse f eiii l Pm qqtiqn ma hines .in whi onl n t in spmd ceda atim Aqe ing y e .obi t .Q he.inventi9n is t p u e r l pa e QQ ta ne.,r multaneo isiy. n rapid c n us, st p Qn ri m ch n and to provide such a machine having comparatively simpie motions so that this eanbe done with less expense than heretofore,

h The machine ofthe invention is arranged with a si ngle transfer mechanism to convey aiipfthe. containers being formed in allot the dies; and all-workpieces are simultaneously conveyed from one pair of dies to another and to the mechanisms which eject them from the machine in successive motions of the transfer mechanism, Thedies are located at a fixed position on the machines and the"W0rk -piece s are conveyed to and away 'fromthem. The s i cqeseive'operati'ons peri'ormed by the dies in each elf-911p are continuous That is, when a-workpiece has-been formed in a changin P0 392 %Ue he machi e, the al l mu h...sm .an ,le sex nsive. The re:

mui tiqn rnachine. .is lighte sm l er les d .a fihea r th nu paimachin .1 eherahithe airs at d esare ar aneedih} sea e ,aiig i... at on t m c i e a eu i dined so aeh pair are move d re1a to ae pth m Jule-harem ot e. 2 .re itzn e tme QQ s..,h.ead w ich ma x s: bflth ax s'r, t e .nandfiles the-dies, I Th ransfer me ha' gis 4 eon priseeat least as; ipn sth rear d e and 159 utth axiseand he. interst te v. y diseased in he spaced angular relation a's't'he dies 1i1 :e the epqke ita .Wh .t9, t th w k e and eonve'y' hemh t 1 .5 Le imperativepo tio si e maqhin ihietretesiis m rcup t e ling twp. erqun ei Qie n a-r m n circle h performs all the steps .of making; u simul taneouslyhut it is o. Y r is i vention isgnot limi 51;. tqi ie, ezame e. qescr bei, .A y si la m h s nev r.conta teuehesha e i a d e-l the machine of n i qhipe qis elpsed is illustrative, and; n t limit ng.

the drawings in whieh capital letters ref l it e pap r-9 in Q pd. s i Minumemlsm to the machine an its parts the inventign tran fer mechanism. Thai.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a finished ,paper container made by the machine of the invention; Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a paper container after it has passed through the pleating dies, and

Fig. 9 is an elevational view of Fig. '7.

A finished pleated paper cup A is shown in the drawings (Fig. '7) having pleats C and a rim D and the same cup A is shown (Figs. 8 and 9) after it has been given its general form and pleated but before the rim D has been formed to strengthen and hold it together.

A machine for producing two of these paper cups simultaneously is mounted upon a table II). Since two paper cups are produced in each operative cycle of the machine, the parts which form the cups are in duplicate and description herein which covers one of duplicate parts covers both. In general they are a pair of paper blank supplying or feeding mechanisms I2 and I2a, a pair of forming or pleating dies I3 and I3a, a pair of rimming or finishing dies I4 and |4a and a pair of cup ejectors I and I 5a for ejecting paper cups A from the machine. All of the above mentioned dies and cup ejectors are mounted in a circle about a vertical axis I'I (viewing the machine in plan, Figs. 2 and 3) at equally spaced angular distances. The form of the dies is well known in the art.

The pleating dies shown I3 and I'3a (Fig. 4) are of the umbrella type comprising female dies and a fixedly mounted upon the table I!) and male dies 2| and 2| (1 which because of their yielding ribs 2! have the appearance of the structure of an umbrella. The ribs 21 of a male die 2| (1 are radially disposed and held yieldingly spread by a spring 28. a sliding collar 29 and interconnecting rods 33 (Fig. 4). A female die 23a has a flaring trumpet shaped aperture 43 and radially disposed fixed ribs 44 which are longitudinal of the inside of the aperture and with which the ribs 2'! of the male die 2|a yieldingly cooperate to pleat a cup A as it is driven down through and out of the bottom of the aperture 43.

The rimming dies I4 and Ma comprise female dies 22 and 22a also mounted on the table In and male dies 23 and 23a above them. A male rimming die 23a (Fig. 4) comprises a tapering element 45 which mates with a female tapering element 4% in the female die 22a, and yields against a spring 41 to flatten the pleats C and hold the cup A in its final form; a rimming element 48 which has a hollowed circular rimming surface 49 and an outside knife edge 49a cooperating with a rounded circular upper surface on the female die 22a for forming the rim D; and a stripping element 55 having a dished out bottom annular surface 56a which cooperates with the corresponding upper surface 5! of a stripper 58 in the female die 22a for forming the bottom E of the cup A and which is urged downwardly by a spring 59 to strip the cup A from the male die 23a when the dies open. A female rimming die 22a is pivotally mounted on the table In and actuated to rise quickly to meet the male die 23a to rim a cup A by a strong compression spring 60 which urges it upwardly when a cam follower 6| on a lower arm 62 of the female die 22a. drops into a depression 63 in a cam 54 which is fast on a cam shaft 65 driven from a main shaft 40. When the rimming dies I 4a open, the cup A is stripped upwardly from the female die 22a by the stripper 58 which is actuated by a cam II on the camshaft 65 (Figs. 4 and 6).

The ejectors 'I5 and I5a comprise guides 24 and 24a attached to the table I0 and which lead into conduits 25 and 25a, and plungers 26 and 26a for pushing the finished cups A out of the machine through the conduits.

A cross head 30 operates all of the dies and the ejectors. The male pleating dies 2| and 2|a, male rimming dies 23 and 23a and the ejector plungers 2B and 26a are attached to the cross head 30 which reciprocates vertically in a pair of gibs 3| and 32 and opens and closes all of the dies and operates the ejectors simultaneously. The cross head 30 is conveniently driven by an electric motor 35 through a reduction gear box 36, drive sprocket 31, chain 38, and a sprocket 39 fast on the main shaft 4|] which rotates a crank 4| connected to the cross head 3!! by a connecting rod 42. An operative cycle of the machine during which two complete paper cups A are produced constitutes one complete revolution of the main drive shaft 40 during which all of the dies and ejectors perform steps in the production of paper cups at the same time.

The work supplying mechanisms I2 and I2a for supplying round, fiat paper blanks B to the pleating dies I3 and I3a are well known in the art and each may conveniently comprise a chute 50 for feeding a supply of blanks B by gravity into and between a pair of conveyor belts 5| and 52 which convey the blanks B successively to the pleating dies I3 and 3a. The belt 5| runs over a drum 53 which has attached on its circumference adjacent the belt a rubber thumb 54 which is adapted to pick off a paper blank B and start it between the conveyor belts 5| and 52 each time the drum 53 rotates. The belts 5| and 52 are conveniently arranged over idler pulleys 55 and with the drum 53 are driven from the main shaft 40. The feeding mechanisms I2 and I 2a convey the blanks onto the female pleating dies 20 and 20a so that when the dies are closed the male dies 2| and 2| a can push the blanks B down through the apertures 43 in the female dies 20' and 20a.

When the pleated cups A have been ejected from the pleating dies I3 and I3a they are simultaneously transferred by a mechanism to be described to the rimming dies I4 and 4a as the cross head 30 rises and when the cross head comes down again they are given the form of the finished cup A shown in Fig. Meanwhile a new blank has been fed to the pleating dies I3 and I3a so that when the two cups are being rimmed two more cups are being pleated. Then as all of the dies again open, the finished cups A are transferred to the ejectors I5 and I 5a, and during a third operative cycle the finished cups are ejected from the machine While at the same time two more cups are being rimmed and a third pair of blanks are being pleated. Each time the main drive shaft 40 rotates, therefore, the three successive steps of pleating, rimming and ejection from the machine in the operation of producing paper cups are being performed on three pairs of Work-pieces simultaneously.

In order to transfer the paper cups which are being formed from the pleating dies I3 and I3a to the rimming dies I4 and Ma and thence to the ejectors I5 and I511. a transfer mechanism generally indicated at and best seen in the plan views (Figs. 2 and 3) is provided which rotates intermittently in step by step progression about the axis I'I around which all of the dies and ejectors are mounted. The transfer mechanism 80 comprises a hub 82 on a vertical shaft 83 and a pair of radially disposed grippers 84 to es e ne dt o ea epai ic' di se J and "mend ame-cf the. eie rse i a' UW- T e s- 8 ers i t l remoun ee' w e t 82 ,at.- the. same, spaced; angulah distanceas' the dies .and .eiectors, and .they; are normally held closed by sp1f ings ..9 q. Each .pair of; grippers 84 has" a hollow annular space 9| between them which is adapted to. hold a pap ercup A afteri't h lS ipassed through thepleatin'g dies I3 and I3a... Thetransfer mechanism .80 is.v shown- ,(Figs. 2 and 3) when'thecmachin'e islat rest or in itslstart ingf position and 1 the grippers 84 are. slightly off.- seitI fri om. the .dies. andfejectors. Assoon as. the

machine .is setin' motion, thehubTBZ isl rotatedv slightly so ,tlri'at'the annularspace'aB l. of;.the grip; pers 6d are sea ch positioned axially.,o,.the..dies". aridjeiectors sothat. they; can receive cups A when theyare strip ed fromthe, dies; The trans I the cups A which have now been formedand pleated are continued downwardly into and received in the apertures 9| of'th'e grippers 84 so that they may be-transfer'red' one step to -an operative position-between the male and female rimming dies I4 and Ma. As the rimming dies are closed? the male dies z'a'taiid 23a drive the containers A down into thefernale dies 22 and 22a.

Spreaders 95 are attached to the cross head 30 to enter between the grippers 84 and spread them as the rimming dies 14 and [4a are closed as best seen in Fig. 9 so that the grippers 84 release the containers and also clear the male rimming dies 23 and 2311. When the cross head 30 again rises to open the dies, the strippers 58 raise the cups A and present them to the grippers 84 which close and hold them as the spreaders 95 are withdrawn. The transfer mechanism 80 again rotates one step and with its next descent, the ejector plungers 26 and 26a push the completed containers [6 out of the grippers 84 which are simultaneously opened to release them by another similar pair of spreaders 95 attached to the cross head 30 and which operate in conjunction with the ejector plungers 2t and 26a. The transfer mechanism 86 is intermittently rotated in cooperation with the motion of the cross head 39 conveniently by a Geneva wheel I90 and arm llll which are driven from the main shaft 40 through bevel gears I02 and I03 and the cam shaft 65.

It will thus be seen that the arrangement of the operative parts of the machine about the axis I! and the use of a single transfer mechanism 30 can be expanded to provide as many independent groups of dies and ejectors as desired for forming simultaneously several paper cups. The dies and ej-ectors may be arranged on a single circle about an axis or dies served by one transfer mechanism may be arranged on several circles which are concentric to the axis of rotation of the transfer mechanism. Multiplicity of parts is eliminated by the use of the single transfer mechanism and the single cross head which may be used to open and close any number of dies and grippers so arranged.

We claim:

1. A machine for making several paper containers simultaneously, comprising pairs of dies arranged around an axis, the dies of each pair When the *cross head 3"0 'is lowered the. male dies 2| and 2m drive the -work" blanks 'B all 6 being. movable relatively-to each other ina line.- para lel. Ito e heoa w k s p yi g mecha i m supplying..blanks..;to at least. two pairs of dies, transfer, mechanism. comprisingaas; many gr ip pelt as .thereare pairs of dies androtatable about.

the-said axis,.,spreaders .to actuate the grippers;

an d, a cross, .he ad. movable axially of said axis to open and. close the dies, said spreaders beingactuated by. said cross head.

In amachine as set forth in claim 1, at least.

two ejectors. actuated by said cross head and 00- operating with said .transfer mechanism which eject completed paper containers from the ma chine A.machine for making several paper con-,

tainers simultaneously comprising. pairs of dies arrangedin spaced angular relation around an axis, .the dies ;-of-each pair being movable relatively to. each other in a line parallel to the axis work supplying mechanism supplying blanks to at least two. pairs of dies, transfer mechanism comprising at least as many grippers as.

there are pairs of dies and arranged in the same spaced angular relation as the. dies and rotatable waboutmthe saidaxis, spreaders. to actuate the grippers,v and across head movable axially of said axislto. open andclose the dies, saidspreaders being actuated .bysaid cross head.

.machineas set forth in claim 3, at least: two ejectors actuated byg said cross head and co-- 1 operating .with said transfer mechanism which ejectfpompletedpaper containers from the machine...

51,.A machine for making. several paper con tai'n'ers simultaneously comprising pairs of dies arranged in spaced angular relation around an axis, the dies of each pair being movable relatively to each other in a line parallel to the axis, work supplying mechanism supplying blanks to at least two pairs of dies, transfer mechanism comprising at least as many grippers as there are pairs of dies and arranged in the same spaced angular relation as the dies and rotatable about the said axis, a cross head movable axially of said axis to open and close the dies, spreaders to open the grippers 'when the dies are closed, said spreaders being actuated by said cross head, and strippers associated with said dies and cooperating with said grippers which remove the workpieces from the dies and present them to the grippers.

6. In a machine as set forth in claim 5, at least two ejectors actuated by said cross head and cooperating with said transfer mechanism which eject completed paper containers from the machine.

7. A machine for making several paper containers simultaneously, compris ng pairs of dies arranged around an axis, the dies of each pair being movable relatively to each other in a line parallel to the axis, work supplying mechanism supplying blanks to at least two pairs of dies, intermittently driven transfer mechanism comprising as many grippers as there are pairs of dies, each gripper comprising a pair of arms each of which is pivotally mounted on a hub which is rotatable about the said axis, said arms being adapted and normally positioned together to grip a container between them, spreaders interposable between the arms of the grippers to open them when the dies are closed and a cross head movable aXially of said axis to open and close the dies, said spreaders being actuated by said cross head.

8. A machine for making several paper containers simultaneously, comprising pairs of dies arranged in spaced angular relation around an axis, the dies of each pair being movable relatively to each other in a line parallel to the axis, work supplying mechanism supplying blanks to at least two pairs of dies, intermittently driven transfer mechanism comprising at least as many grippers as there are pairs of dies and arranged in the same spaced angular relation as the dies, each gripper comprising a pair of arms each of which is pivotally mounted on a hub which is rotatable about the said axis, said arms being adapted and normally positioned together to grip a container between them, spreaders interposable between the arms of the grippers to open them when the dies are closed, a cross head movable axially of said axis to open and close the dies, said spreaders being actuated by said cross head.

9. A machine for making several paper containers simultaneously comprising pairs of dies arranged in spaced angular relation around an axis, the dies of each pair being movable relatively to each other in a line parallel to the axis, work supplying mechanism supplying blanks to at least two pairs of dies, intermittently driven transfer mechanism comprising at least as many grippers as there are pairs of dies and arranged in the same spaced angular relation as the dies, each gripper comprising a pair of arms each of which is pivotally mounted on a hub which is rotatable about the said axis, said arms being adapted and normally positioned together to grip a container between them, a cross head movable axially of said axis to open and close the dies,

spreaders interposable between the arms of the grippers to open them when the dies are closed, said spreaders being attached to said cross head, and strippers associated with said dies and cooperating with said grippers which remove the containers from the dies and present them to the grippers.

10. In a machine for use in making several paper containers simultaneously, pairs of dies arranged around an axis in spaced angular relation, the dies of each pair being movable relatively to each other in a line parallel to the axis, transfer mechanism comprising as many grippers as there are pairs of dies and rotatable about the said axis and a cross head movable axially of said axis to open and close'the dies and means connected to the cross head causing the grippers to clear the dies when the latter are closed.

ARTHUR SHAPIRO'. MALCOLIVI HIRSCHEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 463,849 Vierengel Nov. 24, 1891 891,642 Tietzmann June 23, 1908 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 22,660 Great Britain of 1909 

